Zilhouette Murders, page 15
DI Cunningham was in the lead as they climbed the stairs to the CID level and he took Mr. Peters by the arm and led him into the first interview room they came to. Peter Wicker continued to the Detectives Section trying to avoid eye contact with any of his colleagues.
He just about made his desk before he heard DS Warrington shout. “Did you get him then?”
This resulted in all the other detectives looking towards him expecting the good news that the killer had been found and arrested. Peter cleared his throat and said, in his strongest voice.
“Mr. Peters is helping us with our enquiries. I can’t say any more than that at this stage.”
Steve Warrington looked bewildered. “Did you get him then?”
“I told you Steve, he’s helping us with our enquiries. NOW LEAVE IT!”
Steve knew his sergeant very rarely lost his temper but when he did, best not be around so he returned to his desk and pulled out a file. Peter Wicker picked up some messages and headed back to the interview room to join DI Cunningham and Alan Peters.
CHAPTER 31
Anton and Pauline returned to the lab and found Brian in his office furiously working away in front of his computer screen so much so that he didn’t even see Anton walk towards his office.
Anton tapped on the door causing Brian to look-up sharply. Seeing it was Anton he smiled and beckoned him inside carefully closing his laptop as he rose from his seat.
Brian had the smallest office in the lab, mostly because he was the last person to join Anton’s team and this was the only one vacant.
He was in his early fifties, slender build with dark side hair ( bald across the crown) and extremely fit. He would regularly join in Iron Man competitions and finish ahead of other men half his age. He was married and had three children all of whom had left home to pursue various careers. His eldest, Rosie was married and had two children who were idolised by Brian’s wife Shirley. Brian was over-qualified for his job with Anton but he had spent long periods away from forensic science and therefore only qualified for a lower grade of pay and seniority. When he met Anton at a trade event a couple of years ago they got talking and Anton offered him a position there and then after he learned Brian was looking for work. They get on well at work but there was no social contact between them after work.
Brian never talked about his time away from forensic science and no one in the office pursued the subject though, when Brian was not around there was general mischievous chatter about what might have happened. As soon as Anton heard about this he called a staff meeting while Brian was out working and told everyone this must stop before Brian heard about it – what he didn’t know was Brian knew all about the talk in the office but he decided to say nothing though he felt angry he was being spoken about behind his back.
“Brian, I’m glad I caught you. How did the RTA investigation go.” “It was pretty awful Anton. A woman and two young children died at the scene. Hit head-on by an uninsured eighteen-year old high on drugs who walked away with just a sprained ankle.” Brian shook his head and looked down to the floor as he explained.
“Always the case Brian.”
Both men were stood a metre apart staring at the floor before being interrupted by Pauline.
“Phone call for you Anton, DI Cummings.”
“Excuse me Brian, I’d better take this.”
He smiled, turned and headed for his office, went inside, sat behind his desk and picked up the phone.
“David, it’s Anton, sorry to have kept you waiting. What’s up?”
“Just an update really and to see whether you could come in this week and address the troops?
“Of course I can. When were you thinking?
As he spoke he noticed Brian had packed his briefcase and headed toward the exit.
“Anton, are you still there?”
“Yes, sorry David I got distracted. Friday did you say?”
“Yes Anton, around ten am please.”
“No problem, see you then – Bye”
“Bye Anton.”
Both cleared the line and Anton returned to his office and paperwork. Pauline tapped on his door. “Coffee?”
“Love a coffee Pauline. By the way, did Brian say where he was going?”
“Brian? Going? Er, no Anton.”
“OK.”
Anton sat at his desk glancing through memos and emails received over the last few days. His laptop announced receipt of an email which he opened.
There was no sound, just text appearing on the screen as if it were being typed.
‘There’s something waiting for you, but you will have to hurry. Bring your waterproofs if you are going to be late.’
The text disappeared and on the screen was a map of Surrey. Slowly the screen camera zoomed in making the visible area of the map smaller and smaller until it focused on an area by the river in Richmond. Anton called out for Pauline and Juliet “Come quickly, NOW!”
The two women rushed into his office and Anton spun the laptop round so the screen was facing the two woman.
“Make a note quickly.” he pleaded.
Pauline ripped a piece of paper from her notebook and started to draw a rough outline of the area marking where roads were marked.
Then a countdown started at ten and slowly, as the numbers rolled off the picture became less clear until at zero it changed to display a ‘Zilhouette’ Chocolate box. What looked like blood started to run down the picture until the screen was solid red and it went blank.
“Did you get it Pauline?” he asked.
“Yes Anton, I know where this is. It’s Richmond, just past the barrier so it’s on the tidal section. There’s an old boathouse next to a cafe by the river. The boathouse regularly floods so if there is anything for us to find in there we need to get there before the tide comes in. Juliet picked up her phone and asked the question. “What time is high tide at Richmond today?”
“High tide at Richmond will be six thirty pm.” came the reply.
Anton checked his watch, it was just after three thirty.
“I’ll call David Cunningham and please get ready to leave Pauline. Juliet, please try to get hold of Brian and give him the information and ask him to meet us there please.”
Juliet nodded and she and Pauline left Anton’s office whilst Anton picked up the phone and called DI Cunningham.
After he explained the email he gave him the address and they agreed to meet on site.
“I’ll send you a marked police car escort to speed up your Journey Anton, wait for him in the car park.”
“OK David, see you there.”
He gathered the case Juliet had prepared for him and met up with Pauline in reception. She had the camera and other equipment and they made their way to the car park where two uniformed officers from Traffic were waiting for them.
“Do you have the address Sergeant?”Anton asked.
“Yes Sir, just follow us.”
Pauline jumped into the passenger seat and Anton fired up his Volvo estate. His heart was beating very fast with excitement as he sped off behind the police car with the Siren blaring.
It worked, because they pulled up outside the coffee shop by the river in Richmond at four forty-five. There were two more police cars already there directing traffic. Shortly after they arrived a mini bus from Richmond station arrived and ten uniformed officers jumped out and started to secure the area.
Anton and Pauline exited their car, rushed around the back and took out white suits which they quickly put on and headed towards the boathouse which they could see protruding just behind the coffee shop. It was about one hundred metres from the car park so it took them a while carrying their equipment. The uniformed officers cleared the coffee shop and started to roll out tape to form a barrier. A number of onlookers had gathered, drawn by the police activity.
Just as Anton reached the boathouse he saw an unmarked police car, Sirens blaring pull up behind his car and DI Cunningham and DS Wicker got out the car. A uniformed officer handed them both white suits which they got into then they walked quickly towards Anton and Pauline who were surveying the ground in front of them leading down to the boathouse by the water.
“It looks a little unsteady Pauline, you wait here with the equipment and I will slide down so you can follow.”
Before Pauline had the chance to argue Anton was already halfway down the slope leading to the water’s edge.
“Hand me the bags Pauline and slide down slowly.”
Pauline did as Anton suggested and was grateful for an extra hand from DS Wicker to steady her. He had reached her just as she started to slide. Anton started toward the boathouse and then suddenly stopped as he saw the remains of a woman laid just inside the boathouse. Whoever this was had lain there for a while because her naked body was covered with water lice, small snails and other small water creatures. He composed himself and moved slowly towards her. He put down the bag he was carrying and leaned over the corpse.
“What have you found Anton?” asked DI Cunningham.
“Another body David and we have to get her out as quickly as possible, before the tide starts to come in.”
“I’ve spoken with the River Police and they are on their way down; they are sending a small boat with at least one diver. I expect them here in the next fifteen minutes or so.”
“I don’t think we can wait that long. I’m going to try to secure her David.” shouted Anton and he grabbed hold of the woman’s torso which caused it to roll towards him.
“Oh my God!” he shouted.
“What is it Anton?” asked David Cunningham
“There are two bodies David, the bastard has left two bodies here.” David remained silent while he processed the news from Anton. “OK Anton. Can you secure the two of them yourself before the tide starts to rise or do you need help?”
“Honestly David, I need help now, otherwise I could lose both of them.”
David removed his shoes and walked toward the boat house, getting as close as he could, hoping he could get to the other side of the two bodies from where Anton was standing. He gently slid down the bank and into the river which by now was just below his knees.
He was only one foot away from one of the bodies and he could immediately smell the odour coming from the decomposing victim.
It reminded him of the discovery at Josephine March’s house. He covered his mouth and nose with one hand and inched his way forward along the bank ever closer to the victim closest to him.
“OK Anton, I can now reach this one; what do you suggest?”
“Well, it looks like they are secured against the bank so the first thing we have to do it break them away from the bank.”
As he spoke he extended his right hand and arm behind one of the victims and felt around for anything which might be holding the body against the bank.
“Ah, I have it David, there’s a wooden stake driven into the bank and a rope is attached to it. Then wraps around the waist of this victim. Can you check to see if it’s the same with yours?”
David reached behind and felt a wooden stake and confirmed to Anton it was the same.
“OK, we need a sharp knife but before we cut these ropes we need to tie another rope around them and have someone on top of the bank hold on and pull them up to the top.”
“OK.”
He shouted for Peter to come over.
“Peter, I need two lengths of strong rope about three metres long and quickly.”
“OK Sir, give me a minute and I’ll find some rope.”
Peter ran off to ask the mini bus driver if he had any rope, when this was unsuccessful he went into the coffee shop and came out two minutes later carrying a roll of strapping.
“This is the best I can do. It’s strong enough and long enough so I’m sure it will work.”
“Well done Peter. Now start unrolling a piece for me and let it unravel down to me.”
Peter started to unroll to strapping and the end reached David who started to feed it around the victim, tied it tight and then told Peter to cut it off and do the same for Anton.
By now the river level had risen to their waists and Anton was getting concerned about the time it was taking to try to free the victims from the ropes.
He had taken out a sharp knife from his bag and passed a scalpel to David and both men were furiously trying to cut the ropes. Above them, two uniformed officers wearing heavy-duty gloves had the strapping wrapped around their gloved hands waiting for the rope to be cut through and the bodies to be held by the strapping.
“David, I’m through, how are you doing?”
“Just finishing now Anton – there, it’s free! Can you put this towel under the armpit of the victim to prevent the strapping cutting into her skin when she is lifted?”
Anton threw a towel from his bag, then took out another and did the same.
Both men looked up to the top of the bank to see both uniformed officers leaning back and starting to haul up the bodies. They were struggling with the weight and the additional pressure of the increased flow of the river but slowly the bodies started to rise up the bank to the level ground.
“Time for you two to get out.” Pauline shouted from the bank after being helped up by two uniformed officers.
Anton nodded at David and together they started to pull themselves up the bank, grabbing onto small bushes to help them. When they got near to the top, uniformed officers knelt down and grabbed Anton’s bag and their hands and pulled them the rest of the way to the top.
Both bodies were laid on plastic ground sheets under a temporary cover to keep them from prying eyes. A large crowd had gathered as the news spread about the gruesome find.
“Right Anton, there’s no point in hanging around. Let’s get these two back to your lab and then the uniforms can do a sweep of the area to see if they can find anything.”
“It’s a well-used area David and I would guess these have been here for at least three weeks judging by the condition of the victims.” “Same killer Anton?”
“Can’t be sure but, on first look I would say 99% it’s the same. Both have been dismembered and both have been scalped.” Anton exhaled loudly as he finished his sentence.
“I’ll get them back to the lab and start my examination straight away but don’t expect a quick report. They aren’t in very good condition and the river will have washed away a great deal of evidence making identification difficult but, like Honey Bates, we might get lucky.”
“I understand Anton, soon as you can.”
David looked around for his DS and caught sight of him talking to a man on the edge of the taped area.
“Peter,” he shouted.
“Peter Wicker stopped talking to the man, acknowledged David and started to walk toward him.”
“How are you feeling Sir?”
“I’m fine Peter, bit wet and muddy but fine. Who were you talking too?”
“He’s a local, knows the area very well, said there was a man down here a few weeks ago in the early evening. It was raining so it was deserted but he was walking his dog and noticed this man struggling with some bags. He watched for only a minute or so before the weather got worse and his dog was becoming impatient.”
“Did he give you a description?”
“Just very general – medium build, wearing a baseball cap, wore glasses and had a beard.”
“What about transport?”
“No, he didn’t see how he got here or left. The witness moved away with the dog to look for some shelter. He walked back the same way twenty minutes later and the man had gone.”
“Did he check anything?”
“No the tide as in and only two or three inches from the bank so there was nothing to see. I’m checking on CCTV and cameras in the two shops and the coffee shop. As soon as I have checked it out I will report back Sir.”
“Very well, let’s get packed up and back to the office. I think I have a change of clothes in my office.”
“Anton, Anton, what have you found?”
All three turned around to see Brian walking briskly toward them.
“Brian, two more victims,” Anton replied.
“TWO!?” Brian exclaimed.
“Yes, looks like the same MO which we can confirm back in the laboratory.”
The two CID men walked back to their car leaving Brian and Anton standing together.
“Where were you Brian, I tried to get hold of you?”
“Oh, I er,” he paused “had some personal stuff to attend too and didn’t realise my phone was out of battery – sorry.”
Anton started to walk back to his car looking downwards thinking about Brian’s explanation for his absence. When he arrived back at his car he turned to Brian.
“Brian, this isn’t the time nor place but you cannot just leave the office and not tell anyone where you are going, and you certainly can’t allow circumstances to arise where you cannot be contacted.”
“I know Anton, it was unforgivable. It won’t happen again.” Brian replied as he helped Anton load his car.
“OK Brian, let’s get back to the laboratory. The van has just left with the two victims and I want to get on with the PM as soon as possible.”
“Yes Anton, I will leave now and see you back at the office.”
Brian walked away leaving Anton to think about his poor excuse and thinking it wasn’t the first time this had happened during this investigation. It also wasn’t the first time an email from the killer had been received when Brian wasn’t in the office.
“Stop it!” Anton told himself. He started his car and headed back to the office still thinking about Brian’s unexplained absence.
Both detectives arrived back at Guildford before Anton and David went in search of a change of clothes whilst Peter went to his desk to look for messages.
“Glad you’re back, I think I might have found something on these old murder case files.” DS Warrington said enthusiastically.
“That’s great Steven but we need to concentrate on this new discovery first.” Peter replied.
